Matthew 20:1 and 2 say, “For the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire workmen for his vineyard. And having agreed with the workmen for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.” The householder is Christ. The morning here is 6:00 a.m., denoting the earliest part of the church age, when Christ came to call His disciples into the kingdom. The workmen are the disciples, and the vineyard is the kingdom. The agreement referred to in verse 2 denotes the agreement He made in 19:27-29. The denarius is the reward the Lord offered Peter in His agreement with him in 19:28 and 29.
Verses 3 and 4 say, “And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place, and to those he said, You go also into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you. And they went.” The third hour was 9:00 a.m., denoting the second part of the church age. The word “idle” indicates that whoever does not work in the kingdom of the heavens is standing idle in the world, which is denoted by the market place.
Verse 5 says, “Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour and did likewise.” The sixth hour, 12:00 noon, denotes the middle part of the church age, and the ninth hour, 3:00 p.m., denotes the fourth part of the church age.
Verses 6 and 7 say, “And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and said to them, Why are you standing here all the day idle? They said to him, Because no one has hired us. He said to them, You go also into the vineyard.” The eleventh hour was 5:00 p.m., denoting the fifth part of the church age. Those hired at the eleventh hour said they were standing around idle because no one had hired them. Outside the kingdom of God, no human beings are employed by God. Although the hour was late, the Lord still sent them into the vineyard. Even near the end of the church age, the Lord still calls people to work in His kingdom.
According to verse 8, the householder rewarded the workmen at evening, that is, at 6:00 p.m. This denotes the end of the church age.
Verse 8 says, “And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the workmen and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.” For the lord to begin from the last to the first was against the natural and commercial concept. It indicates that what is paid to the latest workmen is not according to their work, but according to the gracious wish of the lord of the vineyard.
Verses 9 and 10 say, “And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, they received each a denarius. And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they themselves also received each a denarius.” Here we see that the last and the first received the same reward. The first workmen mentioned in verse 10 included Peter, who made a deal with the Lord in 19:27-29.
Much to the surprise of those hired first, the last were the first to receive the reward, although they worked just one hour, not during the heat of the day. Thus, when those hired first saw that the last received a denarius, they expected to receive a great deal more. However, they also received a denarius. Verses 11 and 12 say, “And when they received it, they murmured against the householder, saying, These last have worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” Those hired first should remember Romans 9:14-15 and 20. There is no unrighteousness with the Lord. He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy. Who are they to reply against the Lord? But Peter’s natural concept, representing that of all believers, was commercial; he did not know the Lord’s gracious wish. Thus, he murmured against the Lord according to legality.